A team profile of thinking preferences
will open up opportunities for synergy

A team profile of thinking preferences, what is it? and why bother?

Thinking preferences profiles are based on the whole brain model created by NED HERRMANN and assessed with the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument.

The thinking preferences profiles of individual team members, and the team’s overall team profile data, provide a rich and deep analysis which may be used to develop team performance and realise more of the team members’ potential.

In particular, it may reveal or create opportunities for team synergy.

It is important to remember that profiles are not static or absolute - each individual is a “coalition” of the four quadrant whole brain thinking model, which they will apply situationally.

In addition, team members should respect and value differences as a means of achieving synergy.

A full analysis of the team profile can involve up to ten different aspects of thinking preferences.

Four of the key ones are described below.

1. A team's average profile

A team’s average profile shows the overall collective thinking preferences of the team members.

It indicates how the team is likely to respond mentally to any situation - which quadrants team members are likely to use in preference to others - the team members’ mental habits.

So what?

The average profile may be used to diagnose the team’s mental comfort-zone and its constraints (e.g. which quadrants are not fully covered).

It can be interpreted as the thinking “raw materials” available to the team and as an indicator of the team’s potential thinking development.

If the team has prepared a proforma of its purpose, the team’s average profile may be used to compare the two shapes as an entry-point analysis of what, and how, the team may need to change.

For example, a team average may be clearly left-brain dominant with, say, secondary preferences in right brain thinking.

This may indicate that the team will tend to be task-orientated and have a need for structure and control.

If the proforma shape of the team’s purpose was square, however, this may require the team to think through how it will stretch to make more effective use of the right brain elements of thinking.

This may reveal opportunities to create change or for the team to build its creative thinking.

2. A team's composite profile

A team's composite profile shows each team member’s individual thinking profile superimposed on all the others.

It shows the range of thinking diversity in each quadrant; and it shows clusters and “spikes”.

Along with the team’s average profile, it provides another view of the team’s mental habits.

So what?

When compared with the average profile, it may be used to contrast where spikes occur as this may indicate possible areas of unused talent in the team; or possible areas of conflict or potential.

The size of gaps between profiles may indicate isolation within the team of some team members.

Where there are clusters of like profiles this may indicate key team strengths or “tribes” that may be weakening the team.

The composite profile enables a team to ask some creative questions about its own workings, such as:

* are any clusters of similar thinking preferences strengths or weaknesses?

* are individuals with very different thinking profiles valued and “used” effectively by the team or they isolated?

* what, if anything, needs to be done differently to get the best contribution to the team’s purpose from each team member?

* is the team fully valuing and using the differences in thinking shown in this composite profile fully to achieve synergy?

3. A team's continuum profile

A team's continuum profile shows the spread of thinking preferences from most A quadrant left brain dominant to most D quadrant right brain dominant.

It shows the position of every team member’s profile in relation to every other team member’s profile.

It shows each team member’s scores in each quadrant and their profile codes.

So what?

It may be used for further diagnosis and exploration of the team’s tribes; clusters and isolated individuals.

It may reveal sub-groups within the team and may be used to match and stretch the team’s resources re particular tasks.

It will create opportunities to use diversity within the team constructively (eg to stretch team members’ mental comfort zones or change mental habits by pairing or grouping certain team members together to achieve specific objectives).

It indicates “team-mates” - i.e. who in the team “sits nearest to me” in terms of thinking preferences.

If a project group, to carry out a creative task, was required the continuum enables choices to match or stretch profiles in a balanced way.

This would create a whole brain thinking team profile to deliver creative action and outcomes>


4. A team's dominance map profile

A team's dominance map plots each team member’s profile in relation to the Cerebral-Limbic & Left-Right MODES of the whole brain model.

It shows each team member’s preferences as a single position on the whole brain model.

It also shows how each team member relates to the modes dominance preferences of other team members.

So what?

This analysis should be used in conjunction with a team’s continuum to provide a deeper examination of clusters and tribes in the team.

Those team members positioned nearest to the centre of the map are the translators who are most likely to be able to facilitate team processes.

Those at the edges of the dominance map team profile are the potential synergists or disrupters.

The map also shows team members who may be isolated and enables exploration of the significance of this.

Belonging to a team, and participating in team building experiences, can yield really valuable learning in terms of self improvement.

A team profile of thinking preferences will facilitate self understanding, healthy self esteem, valuing differences, creativity and synergy.

Click here for some inspiring team building quotes that will support the use of a team profile.

A team profile yields rich and unusual ways to create self improvement and team thinking and the opportunity for creative action.
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